Ki Mantra
No. 5 Camden Passage
Islington
London
N1 8EU
0207 226 8866
www.kimantra.co.uk
info@kimantra.com
Who: Kingsley Ogedengbe
“Our main clientele is predominantly women, late twenties to mid-thirties. I’d say 90% of our clients are Islington based. We’ve got a good local following and lots of regulars. We get a lot of women popping in for bikini waxes on their lunch hour. We had one woman come in, the kids were away, and she said, 'I just want two hours of pampering'. She had an hour of relaxation massage and some beauty treatments, she was floating. It’s really rewarding when people come in and they’re not so happy and then they leave with a smile on their face.
The juice bar is for people to drop in, have something refreshing and off they go. London is a fast-paced city and you need places along the way where you can relax for a while. That’s what an urban life spa is for. If you’re on your way to a business meeting popping into to a coffee bar for an espresso will make you even more stressed. Why not pop into a place where you can relax, compose yourself and have a short massage?
People come because they are in poor physical condition in terms of cricked necks, stiff muscles and bad backs or they’re really stressed and can’t sleep and need something to relax and ground them. Our core treatment is deep tissue massage, which is the most popular of all. The relaxation treatments use essential oils like lavender and neuroli. Lavender works really well for a lot of people. We do shiatsu and yogic stretching massage, which involves a lot of mat work. It’s a toughie, but really good if your body needs to be opened out and stretched.
The Masai trainers – oh my god, they’re phenomenal! Women have come back to us saying “I’ve dropped two dress sizes since wearing these shoes!”. We’re encouraging people to wear the shoes. I’ve found people who buy the shoes and have a massage really cure their back problems."
What: An oasis of calm and well-being in amidst the city madness. A wonderful mix of massage and beauty treatments, fresh healthy juices and a little shop full of carefully chosen beauty products. Rather than popping into a coffee shop or pub to kill some time why not pop into the spa, a perfect antidote to the craziness of London life. If you’re flat out with tension and stress then buy six sessions to get you back on track – buy five sessions and you get one free. Ki Mantra is also a big fan of the Masai shoes, yes, you know, the really ugly looking ones. But they work wonders on your posture and metabolism and you can even attend workshops to find out how to do it tight.
Why: It’s the perfect stop-off to grab a healthy refreshing juice and sit at the little tables outside. If you’ve got twenty minutes or more you can treat yourself to a divine massage, get your nails done or a bikini wax. If you need the more serious stuff, deep tissue massage and relaxation massage will ensure all your stress and tension falls right away. For the yoga minded there is a fabulous yoga-stretching massage treatment. And if you’re looking for an idea for an office night out, then book the spa for an evening of treatments, juice and nibbles – beats the pub night out any day.
Where: Five minutes from Angel tube. Walk out the tube, carry on along the pavement, past the Royal Bank of Scotland, and just continue straight on until you reach Camden Passage. Ki Mantra is on the corner on the left just opposite Lollipop (gorgeous little shoe boutique).
When: Monday 12pm-8pm. Tuesday to Saturday 10am-8pm. Sunday 10am-6pm.
